by the Rev. Canon Lisa Senuta
In February I had the joy of teaching the basic principles of silent prayer with seven young adults in the Diocese of Kansas at Upton Hall in Topeka. Designed to introduce contemplative prayer, we moved toward an elongated time in silence. We used a singing bowl to assist us in turning on the “ear of our heart,” we learned about cataphatic prayer and apophatic prayer, reclined with the scripture in Lectio Divina, and experienced being a community in silence. Two things have stood out to me in reflection on the 30 hours, 1. The way we all needed the silence and felt free in it. 2. The self-understanding and the nature of being human that came up.
One of the activities was to spend time alone in the silence and beauty of Grace Cathedral with a few questions wondering what God’s desire is for us right now. I don’t think anyone sat in a pew the way we do on Sunday. One person stood at the foot of the crucifix at the crossing just looking up. Another laid on the floor. Others went up into the loft. One slowly walked around and around the cathedral. It’s like we instinctively needed to lounge with God or recline into God.
“It is silence that offers space enough for our lives
that are too big and complex to be explained by words.”
Richard Carter
Exploring silence seems like it would be awkward or even tense but instead, the time together was relaxed and yet thought-provoking, vulnerable, and yet safe, deep and yet we laughed a lot. In prayer, we face the nature of being human with God’s deep and abiding compassion.
“Meditation is not about stopping thoughts
but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.”
Arianna Huffington
So much of our dialog over the weekend was about acceptance. Accepting ourselves as we are, the world as it is, the people around us just as they are. This acceptance wrapped in grace and compassion of God guides us to move with life instead of fighting ourselves, others, and the world. We are more than so many of the thoughts and feelings that run through our busy and beautiful minds. In faith, God is transforming us by using our life as it is as the context for our spiritual growth.
“But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion;
he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.”
Luke 15
Silence offers a place of gentle being with God no matter what is going on. As we grow is there any better way to become more of who God desires in this world than through joining God’s unlimited mercy and grace?
Silence embraces life beyond self
Knowing that the dwelling place of Christ is within all of us
This is the silence that discovers the Word made flesh
And lives in the kingdom of heaven.
Richard Carter
835 SW Polk St.
The Harvest is the diocese’s triennial news magazine